Car coupling



' (No Model.)

A. SHAPIRO.

UAR GOUPLING.'-

Patented Apr. 14, 1896.

Nrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AARON SI-IAPIRO, OF OI-IICAGlO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO HYMANGOLDBERG, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 558,116, dated April14, 1896.

Application filed February 24:, 1896. Serial No. 580,508. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, AARON SHAPIRO, residing at Chicago, in the county ofCook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Gar-Couplings, of which the following is aspecification.

The object of my invention is to make a simple and efficient automaticcoupling device for railway-cars; and my invention consists in thefeatures and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the couplingdevice of one car removed therefrom and showing one coupler upon anadjacent car or engine, Fig. 2, a sectional elevation of one of thecoupler-boxes,

taken on line 2 of Fig. 3; Fig. 3, a sectional elevation on line 3 ofFig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 4:, a cross-sectionon line 4 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow; and Fig. 5,a longitudinal sectional elevation of one of the coupler-boxes, showingthe position of the connector or coupler changed from an inclined to ahorizontal position. I

In constructing my car-coupling device I make what I shall hereinafterterm coupler boxes A A, similar in construction and con taining'the samemechanism, one of which boxes is arranged at each end of a car andsupported thereby in any desirable manner. Behind each box I arrangesuitable buffersprings A A in the usual and well-known manner. Extendinglongitudinally and centrally under the car is a coupling-rod B, which iskept in normal position by means of the two sets of springs 13 13working in opposition to each other, so that the ends of thecoupling-rod will be kept out of contact with both of the connectorshereinafter to be described.

The parts arranged in each coupler-box are similar in construction andoperation, so that a description of one will pertain to all. Pivoted inthe sides of the box is a coupler or connector 0, consisting of twoparallel bars 0 0, each of which is wedge-shaped (see Figs. 3 ando) andconnected together by a crosspiece a. The right-angled pieces 0 bearingin the sides of the box, are provided with parallel arms 0 0 which arelocated outside of its lower free end preferably enters a hole in thebottom of the box, formed to accommodate the same, to relieve thelocking-pin of most of the stress. Near the end of the pin is one ormore points or shoulders 01, which may be, if desired, simply a shortpin extending through the locking-pin.

Each end of the coupling-rod B which extends into the box is bifurcatedor provided with a U-shaped piece or yoke E, adapted to reciprocatewithin the box. The lower front face of the yokeiscut away to form aprojecting piece 6 and an abutting shoulder e, sliding upon the bottomof the box. The function of the yoke is to force the connector 0 to ahorizontal position when the coupling-rod B is moved in one direction inthe act of coupling, which will be hereinafter explained.

The coupling device on the engine is made rigid and positionedhorizontally instead of being pivoted in the box, as is the case ofthose upon the cars. Otherwise such stationary connector f is similar inform and construction.

My coupling device being constructed as hereinbefore set forth operatesas follows: When the engine is moved up to a car, the straight connectorenters in below the car-connector G, which is, of course, in a normallyinclined position, as is also the one on the opposite end. The connectorf having entered the box, the nose or wedge shaped point there of causesthe locking-pin to be automatically raised, the shoulders d thereofriding upon the inclined portion. After the connector is forced insufficiently the locking-pin will fall by gravity behindthe cross-piecef which is, of course, similar to c. Simultaneously the forward end ofthe straight connector abuts the shoulder e,forcing the yoke andcouplingrod B to the right, Fig. 1, moving the projecting portion 6 of asimilar yoke at the opposite end of the car against the inclinedconnector at that point, thus causing the same to assume a horizontalposition similar to the stationary connector on the engine. Theconnector thus forced to a horizontal position enters the front box ofthe second car. The springs B and B serve to keep the coupling-rod B inthe normal position shown, and the movement to the right, Fig. 1, in theact of coupling, as just described, compresses the springs B which willrestore the rod to proper position upon removal of the connector fromthe box. To uncouple the cars, the locking-pin is elevated in anywell-known manner, but preferably by means of a crank and lever armextending to the side of the car, (which device is now commonlyemployed,) and the connectors may then be withdrawn, when all thepivoted ones will be restored to their normal or inclined position bymeans of the gravity-Weights.

Although I have described more or less precise forms and details ofconstruction, I do not intend to be understood as limiting myselfthereto, as I contemplate changes in the form, the proportion andposition of the parts, and the substitution of equivalents ascircumstances may suggest or render expedient and without departing fromthe spirit of my invention.

I claim 1. In a car-coupling,the combination of connectors pivotallymounted at each end of a car, means for normally holding the same in aninclined position, locking-pins adapted to retain and lock theconnectors of adjacent cars and a coupling-rod extending between theconnectors and adapted to be moved in either direction, whereby theconnector contacted as the rod is moved in its direction is therebyforced to a substantially horizontal position.

2. In a car-couplin g, the combination of connectors pivotally mountedat each end of a car, means for normally holding the same in aninclinedposition, locking-pins adapted to retain and lock the connectors ofadjacent cars, a coupling-rod mounted under the car and in alinementwith the connectors and adapted to reciprocate, means for holding therod in a normal state of rest out of contact with the connectors.

3. In a car-coupling, the combination of connectors O pivotally mountedat each end of a car, means for normally holding the same in an inclinedposition, mechanism for forcing the connector at each end of a car to ahorizontal position independent of the other c011- neotor, andlocking-pins provided with lateral projections, the front of eachconnector being wedge -shaped and adapted to elevate the locking-pinautomatically by pressure of the wedge under the pin projections.

4:. In a car-coupling,the combination of connectors pivotally mounted incoupler-boxes secured to each end of a car, each connector comprisingpieces a 0 extending into the box and having a wedge-shaped outer end,rightangled bearing portions 0 0 outside parallel portions 0 c andweights or counterbalances G at the end of said last-named portionsadapted to normally hold the connectors in an inclined position, alocking-pin in each box and mechanism for forcing one of said connectorsin a horizontal position in the act of coupling and independent of theconnector at the opposite end of the car.

5. In a car-coupling,the combination of connectors pivotally mounted incoupler-boxes Asecured to each end of a car, each connector comprisingportions 0 0 extending into the box and having a wedge-shaped outer end,rightangled portions 0 c forming pivots for the connectors upon the box,outside arms 0 c and weights 0 at the end of the arms and adapted tonormally hold the connectors in an inclined position, a locking-pin ineach box, a coupling-rod B extending longitudinally under the car withits ends entering the boxes but contacting neither connector, sets ofsprings 13 I3 acting on said rod to normally keep it out of contact withthe connectors whereby as a horizontal connector of an adjacent carenters the coupler-box at one end of the car the coupling-rod G will bethrust forward in the opposite box to lower the connector thereof so asto enter the box of the next succeeding car.

6. In a car-couplin g, the combination of connectors pivotally mountedin coupler-boxes A secured to each end of a car, each connectorcomprising portions 0 0 extending into the box and having a wedge-shapedouter end, rightangled portions 0 c forming pivots for the connectors,outside arms 0 c and weights 0 at the end of the arms and adapted tonormally hold the connectors in an inclined position, a locking-pin D ineach box and provided with lateral projections 01 whereby as an adjacentconnector is inserted, the projections (1 will ride upon thewedge-shaped end and raise the locking-pin, a coupling-rod .B beneaththe car and with its ends entering the boxes but contacting neitherconnector, each end of the coupling-rod having a projecting portion 6and a shoulder 6, said portion 6 adapted to contact the connector toforce it to a horizontal position when reciprocated in that directionand means for holding the rod in a normal position out of contact withboth connectors.

7. In a car-coupling,the combination of connectors pivotally mounted ateach end of a car and normally in an inclined position, locking-pin andmeans for forcing one of the connectors to a horizontal positionindependent of the other connector whereby when the cars are coupledeach alternate connector will be in a horizontal position to form thecoupling medium while the other connectors are in an inclined positionand out of service.

8. In a car-coupling, the combination of a coupler box or frame arrangedat each end of a car, a connector pivoted to the box and normally in aninclined position, a vertical locking-pin provided with a shoulder orprojection and adapted to be raised automatically by the engagement ofsaid shoulder with the inclined surface of the connector of an adjacentcar and to lock the same after the cars have come together, means forraising and springs bearing against the coupling-rod the pin to releaseit from engagement to unand adapted to keep the same normally out couplethe cars, a coupling-rod extending of engagement with either connector.

under the car from one box to the other and AARON SHAPIBO. provided ateach end with a projection and adapted to contact the pivoted connectorsas it is reciprocated in one direction or the other Witnesses:

SAMUEL E. HIBBEN, ELsIE NEMETT.

